China's Counter-Extremism Efforts in Xinjiang

Over the past two decades, violence linked to China’s Uyghur ethnic minority has increased despite the Chinese government’s efforts to improve conditions in Xinjiang province. China has adopted a counter-extremism campaign that in practice seeks to weaken Uyghur national identity. How will this campaign fare? Given the continued and escalating violence, China’s practices are ripe for examination.

Patrik Meyer is a fellow with New America’s International Security Program. He earned his Ph.D. in Politics and International Studies from the University of Cambridge working with Chinese scholars to provide better understanding of the conflicts in Xinjiang, China, that fuel tensions between the Uyghurs and the Chinese government. He also holds an M.P.A. in Development from Harvard Kennedy School, an M.S. in Structural Dynamics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Meyer was Adjunct Professor at the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, North Korea, where he taught structural engineering and international business. Currently, he is a foreign expert at Peking University, where he conducts research and lectures on issues related to the Middle East and Islamic ethnic groups in China to help bridge ideological divisions between Muslims and non-Muslims.

New America is pleased to welcome Mr. Meyer for a discussion of China’s counter-extremism efforts in Xinjiang.

Participants:

Patrik Meyer
Fellow, New America, International Security Program

Moderator:
Peter Bergen
Vice President, New America